COACH – Jordan Dowling
Jordan Dowling
After a disheartening female hockey season last year, when Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association voted to cancel all local Minor Hockey Female Competitive teams reduced into 2 Vancouver Island Zone Teams, Jordan Dowling was determined not to let this get her down.
As a recent grade 12 graduate from ADSS and a graduate of AVMHA, Dowling decided to come back this past September and return to AVMHA as a coach. Assistant coaching along side Head Coach Andre Savard and Assistant Coach Heather Senger for the ‘AAA Photography’ Midget Thunder Female Team, Dowling is just learning how to hone her coaching skills. “The Female Program on Vancouver Island suffered last year and still is. Last year we played with tremendous difficulty as female players either quit playing or moved into the male league”. Dowling played hockey for 8 seasons (3 of which were spent in the Competitive program). ” I had so much fun in the years spent in Minor Hockey, playing for quite a few really good coaches (Diane Moore, Mel Campbell, Kevin Hasselberg, and my dad), and loved being part of a team. We travelled all over B.C, Everett, WA and made a trip 2 seasons ago to San Jose, California for a tournament”.
Dowling comes from a hockey oriented family; her older sister Kylie plays in the local Female Rookie League; her younger sister Hayley currently lives in Penticton, B.C playing for the Okanagan Hockey Academy as an upcoming female goaltender; her Dad Dave plays in the local Men’s Rookie League and also spent the past 2 seasons on the AVMHA Executive for Female Co-coordinator; and her Mom Kelly has served many years as Team Manager and also for VIAHA’s Female Midget Commissioner.
“I really wanted to come back and coach because in my real world I want to become a teacher, so coaching gives me the opportunity to teach what I’ve learned (in hockey). The team so far is doing very well and have won more games this season so far than last. It doesn’t feel like I’m giving back, it’s just so much fun to be on and off the ice with the girls that I’ve played hockey with last year”. Currently taking her 1st year University studies at North Island College and working part-time at Parks & Rec, Dowling managed to tie up her skates and hit the ice with the local Female Competitive Team the JAL Design Panthers.
Alberni Valley Minor Hockey Association is proud to have Jordan Dowling on the coaching staff for Female Hockey this season and wish her success in her first year of coaching.
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Sponsor of the Female Midget Thunder Team
COACH – Darcy Haggard
Darcy Haggard
As a recent grade 12 graduate from ADSS, Darcy Haggard decided to live in his hometown for awhile to figure out what he’d like to do. Taking on work at McDonald’s Restaurant, he decided he would like to get back on the ice this past September. Unfortunately for Haggard, AVMHA did not field enough players for their Juvenile Team this season, so he took advantage of the ice and went for the next best thing; Coaching.
Haggard practically grew up on the ice playing in both the Recreation & Competitive Leagues. He has a strong hockey family background. His Dad Pat played Recreation & Competitive hockey throughout his child/teen years; his Mom Michelle still plays hockey in the local Female Rookie League; his brother James played Recreation & Competitive and now plays in the local Men’s Rookie League; his cousin Carly Haggard is a well known hockey player and very well known coach for the ‘Guelph Gryphon’s Women’s Hockey Team’, in Guelph, Ontario.
Trying his hand at coaching for the ‘JAL Design & Graphics’ & ‘Brakers Electric’ Midget ‘B’ Rep team has been a very easy transition for Haggard. Assistant coaching alongside Head Coach (in his 2nd season) Bruce Brunt, and Assistant Coaches Rob Cole and (1st year Coach) Nolan Jarvis he has learned immensely from and continues to do so this season. Haggard definitely sees the game from a different perspective from the bench, “I decided to assistant coach, because I love hockey and it’s great to be back on the ice. This year’s team is focused and hardworking and has very strong goaltending with Andrew Cusson in net (Midget ’A' Rep Goaltender from last season) and also Jason Brunt. Really hoping to make the playoffs and finish strong this season”. The downside from being an 18 year old Assistant Coach? “Well, I’m only a year older than the 3rd year Midget players, so communication is sort of a challenge at times. It’s all good though, they’re a great group of guys”.
Darcy Haggard is also a Referee for AVMHA the past 5 seasons. He won AVMHA’s Referee of the Year 2010/2011 last season.
The Alberni Valley Minor Hockey Association is proud to have Darcy Haggard on the coaching staff this year and wish him success in his first year coaching in the competitive program.
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Sponsors of the Midget B Bulldogs Team
COACH – Krista Callow
Krista Callow
Krista Callow decided to come back this season to Alberni Valley Minor Hockey Association volunteering as a first year coach. Hitting the ice with the ’The Flooring Depot’ Bantam Female Thunder has meant a lot to Callow. Taking guidance from veteran Head Coach Aaron Vissia and Assistant coaches Hubert Vanderlee and Bill Welsh, Callow is learning that coaching is more than ’just being part of a team’. The commitment she’s made with the Bantam Thunder on and off the ice this season is something she is proud of, ” I had alot of coaches over the years and I just felt that I should be giving back in my own way and say thank you”.
Callow spent 8 years in AVMHA, playing defence in the Female Recreation and Competitive programs. “Defence just came natural to me. I couldn’t imagine playing forward. If there is something I can offer (to teach) the players in the defensive zone, then I’m doing my job”. Spending time at practices and home games, Callow sees what this years ’The Flooring Depot’ Bantam Female Thunder team is made of. “Coaching is so different, to be on the ice as an observer and watching the different skill level that the players are at is pretty neat. Before, as a player, you don’t notice these things right away. It’s so much fun to be with a group of girls as a team. I’ll take any chance just to be on the ice. I love hockey and want to be a part of it”.
Callow graduated from ADSS June of 2010 and divides her time working at Pete’s Mountain Meats, commuting to Vancouver Island University as a part-time student and playing defence for the ‘Shooters’ of the local female Rookie League.
Alberni Valley Minor Hockey Association is proud to have Krista Callow on the coaching staff for Female Hockey this season and wish her success in her first year of coaching.
Sponsor of the Female Bantam Thunder Team
COACH – Jeff Carey – Goaltending Coach
- Jeff Carey with B. DiRocco & G. Crema
Goaltender Jeff Carey played in Alberni Valley Minor Hockey Association for 13 of his 22 years. While ‘honing’ his skills mainly in the Recreation Divisions, he played for a short time in the Competitive Program. After graduating from ADSS and Minor Hockey, Carey decided to pursue coaching other goaltenders.
While attending Vancouver Island University and teaching goaltending for ‘Gold in the Net’, Carey began coaching in AVMHA three seasons ago. His first year began with a Bantam Recreation team. He then decided to move up a division last season and was the Goaltender Coach for the ‘Van Isle Ford’ Midget Tier II Bulldogs (along side coaches Brent Demerais and Kevin Somerville). In this inaugural Competitive year, coaching Goaltenders Bryce DiRocco and Andrew Cusson proved to be an exciting and eventful one. Travelling with the team to tournaments in Vernon, Merrit and Kamloops; the team also won the Vancouver Island Midget Tier II Championship in Juan de Fuca which then took them to Salmon Arm for the Provincials.
Carey decided this team was a great ‘fit’ for him and began coaching the Goaltenders again this season (alongside this years coaches Brent Demerais and Rob Gaudreault). Coaching Bryce DiRocco (back in net again this year) and Gianni Crema (back from taking a year off) he is thrilled to be back on the ice and on the bench. ‘I like working with Goaltenders. It’s great to teach and support these guys and try and guide them to the next level. These two Goalies are experienced and focused. The team as a whole is fast, skilled and hardworking. I’m really enjoying working with both Bryce and Gianni. I think they both have great potential to continue on if they want to. We are playing in Tier I again this year and I really see this team heading to the Provincials again. They are a fun group to be around.’
Alberni Valley Minor Hockey Association is proud to have Jeff Carey back on the coaching staff for ‘Van Isle Ford’ Midget Tier II Bulldogs (and especially proud as he is the only Goaltender coach for AVMHA.)
COACH – Nolan Jarvis – from Playing to Coaching
When local hockey defenseman Nolan Jarvis played his final Minor Hockey game last March at the Midget Tier II Provincials in Salmon Arm, he never thought he would be back coaching in AVMHA 7 months later.
Jarvis graduated from ADSS in June and had thought about pursuing his hockey career at the Junior B level. Instead, he decided to enter the workforce in the construction industry and found himself wanting to step back out on the ice. Since there wasn’t a juvenile team he could play for, Jarvis decided to give coaching a try.
Jarvis played hockey at AVMHA for 13 years and in the competitive program for 4 of those years. His Dad, Tom Jarvis, coached in AVMHA for years, so the transition from player to coach was natural for Nolan.
Jarvis decided to give back to AVMHA, a place where he spent growing up. He is now assistant coach (to head coach Bruce Brunt) of the Midget “B” Bulldogs Rep team. Jarvis says, ‘I really enjoy being on the bench, it really is exciting and a different perspective of the game. I wanted to give back my time and teach the players what I’ve experienced, especially at the competitive level. I think this team will do well this year; we have a lot of talent and skill. We just need to stay out of the penalty box.’
Alberni Valley Minor Hockey Association is proud to have Nolan Jarvis on the coaching staff this year and wish him success in his first year coaching in the competitive program.
Coach Hybrid Clinic
No Coaching experience needed. Everyone welcome.
Best Western Barclay Hotel
Sat. Nov. 5th & Sun. Nov. 6th, 8:00 am -5:00 pm
You need to contact Rob Cole to make sure they have hockey ID number from our association.
To sign up, go to https://ehockey.hockeycanada.ca/ehockey/ClinicList.aspx?OID=3 - type in “Port Alberni”, click on the “Sign In” box and follow the instructions.
You can sign up the day of but you should try to let Rob know you are coming.
Additional Information
1) Open the coach hybrid pre-task: NCCP-Coach-Stream-Pre-Task-Workbook
2) Print (8 pages) and complete the coach hybrid pre-task
3) Bring your completed coach hybrid pre-task to your coach hybrid clinic
4) Don’t forget to bring your skates, gloves, helmet, stick and tracksuit!
There will be an on-ice session required to pass the coach hybrid clinic.
Contact Person: Rob Cole
Phone: 250-720-6084
Email: jrhcole@shaw.ca
Demerais is VIAHA Coach of the Year
Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association
Suite E-2301 McCullough Rd. Nanaimo BC V9S 4M9
Phone: 250-751-8811 Fax: 250-751-8812
May 2, 2011
To: Brent Demerais
c/o Alberni Valley MHA
Dear Brent,
Re: Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association Coach of the Year (2011) Award Recipient
Congratulations! VIAHA has selected you as the recipient of our Coach of the Year Award for 2010-2011.
Your name was put forth by your association and supported by the VIAHA Officers, in acknowledgement of your commitment, enthusiasm, work ethic, successes and professionalism you have exhibited as a minor hockey coach.
Your dedication to give back to the game of hockey by sharing your time, knowledge and contributing to the personal betterment of hockey as well as life skills for the players of Alberni Valley MHA without having a child of your own in the program is laudatory.
We are pleased to extend an invitation to the VIAHA Annual General Meeting held in Nanaimo on May 29th, 2011 as our guest to formally accept your award. Kindly reply back to Marg Herba, Executive Director at mherba@viaha.org. We hope you can make it.
VIAHA Annual General Meeting
11:00am at Beban Park Social Centre Lounge
2300 Bowen Road, Nanaimo, BC
Once again, our congratulations on a very deserving nomination and we look forward to meeting you on May 29th.
Yours truly,
Mark Kenny
President
